The present disclosure relates to clip retainers used to secure a pin in a member. More particularly, the disclosure relates to clip retainers used to secure a staple in a hydraulic hose connection.
In many hydraulic pieces of machinery, a large number of hose connections are required. One such piece of machinery is a longwall mining installation having a large number of hydraulic roof supports. The roof supports are powered by a number of hydraulic cylinders, controlled by a series of valves. High-pressure hydraulic fluid, at around 5,000 psi, is transported around the roof supports, between the valves and cylinders using numerous hoses.
The hoses typically have staple type connections, and these connections range in both length and bore size. A staple type hose connection 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a female sleeve piece 12, a male piece 14 of a size and configuration to permit insertion into the female sleeve piece 12, and a generally U-shaped staple 16.
The male piece has a groove 18, and, when the male piece is received within the female sleeve piece, the groove is aligned with two spaced apart openings 20 and 22 in the female sleeve piece 12. The openings receive the ends of the U-shaped staple 16. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the legs of the U-shaped staple 16 are received within the groove 18 of the male piece 14 and secured by the female sleeve piece 12, thus locking the male piece 14 within the female piece 12. If one attempts to remove the male piece from the female piece, the portion of the male piece forming the groove contacts the staple legs, thus preventing the male piece from being removed from the female piece, until the staple is removed from the connection.
More particularly, staples are shaped so that, when fitted, they are self retaining. The open ends 24 and 26 are wider than the portion of the staple that retains the fitting. The open ends are initially squeezed together so that the staple can be pushed into a connection. The open ends of the staple can then spring out, once the staple is fully inserted. This retains the staple within the hose connection.
But staples can fall out. This concern has lead to additional methods of retention being requested. One method, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is to drill a hole in each of the staple legs, and then to place a wire 30 in each of the holes after assembly of the connection. This stops the staple 16 from falling out under its own weight. But it makes it difficult to later remove the staple from the hose connection. This wire staple retention method significantly increases costs and is time-consuming. It also increases the expenses associated with the operation of the hydraulic equipment.